nef

[ nef ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

a silver or gold table furnishing in the form of a ship, either for holding various utensils or for ornament.

Origin of nef¹

1680–90; < French: ship < Latin nāvis. See nave

Et cum li hom qui erent en la mer (nef) eurent ueu le miracle .

Two cup-bearers stand ready with wine and in a prominent position upon the board stands a nef.

There is a Nef introduced in the famous Nancy tapestry (fifteenth century) of precisely the same construction.

I was maker von vagons in Carlsruhe, und I nef'r gedt home again.

The "nef," or model of a ship, was of frequent use as an article of table plate.

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